By Nkechi Eze
A Deputy Director in the Planning, Research and Statistics Department of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Mrs. Ese Miriam Okwong, has been inducted as a Fellow of the Security Institute of Nigeria, marking another significant milestone in her distinguished public service career and contribution to Nigeria’s anti-corruption and security architecture.
The induction followed her successful completion of the Executive Intelligence Management Course, EIMC 18, at the National Institute for Security Studies (NISS), Bwari, Abuja, a rigorous ten-month programme from which she graduated on 6 December 2025. The development was disclosed in an official statement signed by the ICPC Spokesperson, Mr. J. Okor Odey.
Reflecting on the intensive programme, Mrs. Okwong described the training as a defining career experience that provided advanced exposure to leadership, intelligence management and contemporary security strategies. She noted that the course has further strengthened her resolve to contribute meaningfully to the anti-corruption fight while equipping her with enhanced competencies in strategic networking, intelligence gathering and inter-agency collaboration.
Mrs. Okwong, who joined the ICPC in 2002 as a pioneer staff member, rose steadily through the ranks to her current position, a progression that qualified her for the executive-level training at the NISS. Over the years, she has developed a distinctly preventive and community-focused approach to addressing Nigeria’s evolving security and corruption-related challenges, emphasising the importance of tackling threats at their roots rather than merely responding to their consequences.
She has consistently advocated the active involvement of non-state actors in the anti-corruption and security ecosystem, including civil society organisations, community groups, traditional institutions and the media. This philosophy formed the core of her research thesis at the NISS, which examined the ICPC’s community-centred advocacy framework as a strategic tool for combating corruption.
The study underscored the necessity of shared ownership of the anti-corruption effort, stressing that sustainable success requires the collective engagement of government, public institutions, the private sector and citizens. Among its key recommendations were sustained stakeholder engagement, stronger political will, judicial reforms and the strategic deployment of advanced technology to promote transparency and accountability.
In addition to the executive intelligence course, Mrs. Okwong concurrently undertook a Master’s degree in Peace and Security Studies, affiliated with the University of Ilorin, an academic pursuit she described as demanding yet profoundly transformative in shaping her professional outlook.
Offering guidance to aspiring security and intelligence professionals, she emphasised the importance of critical thinking, continuous learning and innovation, particularly in the use of technology. She also urged her colleagues at the ICPC to remain steadfast in upholding the Commission’s core values of professionalism, integrity and tenacity.
Looking ahead, Mrs. Okwong expressed her readiness to further support the ICPC’s preventive mandate through sustained policy advocacy, coalition-building, community engagement and mentoring the next generation of anti-corruption and security professionals, reaffirming her belief that the fight against corruption must be owned and driven collectively.
